Animated water fowl decoy

Abstract

The appearance of symmetrical lateral movement such as the flapping of a bird's wings is provided by a rotating vane which has a light side and a dark side. The vane is generally elliptical in shape and is divided into two blades. Each of the blades is curled about an axis which is generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the vane. Accordingly, rotation of the vane alternately shows the light and dark sides of the vane such that the light side of the vane appears from a distance to be moving along the axis of rotation about the center of the axis of rotation. The vane is rotatably attached to an animal decoy, such as a duck decoy, by a support. The curvature of the vane causes the vane to rotate in response to a wind force. During rotation, the top of the vane moves away from the head of the decoy and the bottom of the vane moves toward the head such that any lift generated by rotation of the vane is directed upwards to lift the decoy slightly out of the water rather than drive the decoy into the water. A motor can supply rotational force to the vane in the absence of wind force.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A motion lure usable with an animal decoy, the motion lure comprising: a support which can be attached to the animal decoy; and   one or more attachments which are movably attached to the support and each of which includes: a first portion and a second portion, which is in visual contrast with the first portion, such that rotation of the one or more attachments about an axis of rotation relative to the support makes the first and second portions alternately visible from a particular viewing perspective, which is generally displaced from and along a line which is perpendicular to the axis of rotation, in such a manner that gives the appearance of motion in a direction which is parallel to the axis of rotation.     
     
     
       2. A motion lure usable with an animal decoy, the motion lure comprising: a support which can be attached to the animal decoy; and   one or more attachments which are movably attached to the support and each of which includes: a light portion and a dark portion such that rotation of the one or more attachments about an axis of rotation relative to the support gives the appearance of movement of the light portion along the axis of rotation when viewed from a particular viewing perspective which is generally displaced from and along a line which is perpendicular to the axis of rotation.     
     
     
       3. The motion lure of claim 2 wherein the appearance of movement of the light portion is symmetrical about a center of the axis of rotation. 
     
     
       4. A motion lure usable with an animal decoy, the motion lure comprising: a support which can be attached to the animal decoy; and   one or more attachments which are movably attached to the support and each of which includes: a light portion and a dark portion such that rotation of the one or more attachments about an axis of rotation relative to the support makes the light and dark portions alternately visible from a particular viewing perspective, which is generally displaced from and along a line which is perpendicular to the axis of rotation, in such a manner that gives the appearance of motion in a direction which is parallel to the axis of rotation.     
     
     
       5. The motion lure of claim 4 wherein the axis of rotation is horizontal. 
     
     
       6. The motion lure of claim 4 wherein at least one of the one or more attachments is curled about an axis substantially parallel to the axis of rotation. 
     
     
       7. The motion lure of claim 4 wherein the one or more attachments are exactly two in number and collectively form a vane. 
     
     
       8. The motion lure of claim 7 wherein the light portions of the one or more attachments are on a side of the vane and the dark portions of the one or more attachments are on an opposing side of the vane. 
     
     
       9. The motion lure of claim 7 wherein the vane has an elliptical shape. 
     
     
       10. The motion lure of claim 7 wherein each of the one or more attachments is curled such that the vane generally has an "S" shape in cross section. 
     
     
       11. The motion lure of claim 4 wherein the one or more attachments rotate about the axis of rotation in response to a wind force. 
     
     
       12. The motion lure of claim 4 further comprising: a motor which is capable of generating a rotational force; and   a drive mechanism which is coupled between the motor and the one or more attachments and which transfers the rotational force from the motor to the one or more attachments causing rotation of the one or more attachments about the axis of rotation.   
     
     
       13. An animal decoy comprising: (a) a body resembling an animal; and   (b) a motion lure attached to the body, the motion lure including: (i) a support attached to the body; and   (ii) one or more attachments which are movably attached to the support and each of which includes: (1) a light portion and a dark portion such that rotation of the one or more attachments about an axis of rotation relative to the support makes the light and dark portions alternately visible from a particular viewing perspective, which is generally displaced from and along a line which is perpendicular to the axis of rotation, in such a manner that gives the appearance of motion in a direction which is parallel to the axis of rotation.       
     
     
       14. The animal decoy of claim 13 wherein the animal is a water fowl. 
     
     
       15. The animal decoy of claim 13 wherein the one or more attachments rotate in such a way that any lift generated by such rotation tends to raise the body. 
     
     
       16. The animal decoy of claim 15 wherein the body has a head end; further wherein the axis of rotation is substantially horizontal; and   further wherein the one or more attachments rotate such that the one or more attachments move away from the head end when passing over the axis of rotation and move toward the head end when passing under the axis of rotation.